Casey Cross, left, receives the Firefighter of the Year award from San Manuel Fire Chief John Sandford. Jennifer Carnes | Miner

Tyler Cassabaum, left, received the Officer of the Year award for Tri-City Meds Ambulance from Mike Balta. Jennifer Carnes | Miner

Fred Creeley, left, awards the Citizen of the Year certificate to John Ecker.
Jennifer Carnes | Miner

By Jennifer R. Carnes

San Manuel Miner

Over the past several weeks and months, the Tri-Community has seen more that its fair share of tragedy. Families have lost loved ones to fatal accidents. Others have suffered serious injuries and spend months recuperating. And, in the heart of the Tri-Community a man lost his life in a deputy-involved shooting.

Citizens have rallied around those left reeling in the aftermath.

But who rallies around the ones on the other side of the accidents, the tragedies?

Saturday night, it was the San Manuel Elks.

The Elks, with assistance from the San Manuel National Junior Honor Society, served up the annual First Responders Recognition Dinner.

Sheriff’s Deputies, Firefighters, EMTs, Paramedics and Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Officers attended in full uniform to socialize and, finally, recognize one of their own for service to the community.

It was a time to say thank you to the men and women on the front line as well as thank those who support them – their families.

State Representative Frank Pratt, Justice of the Peace Arnold Estrada as well as a representative of Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles all offered their thanks and congratulations before those being honored by their peers were announced.

“He’s been a leader,” Babeu said, commending the deputy for his exemplary conduct with citizens.

Zovko is stationed in the Tri-Community. Babeu said that over the past year, Zovko had handled 532 calls, made 46 arrests and 120 traffic stops. It was his fellow deputies, Babeu said, who nominated him because of his performance.

DPS Officer Austin Sabinwas named the Officer of the Year by his department. Sergeant Vern Havens told the audience that over the past year several very experienced officers had retired, leaving him with a relatively young force. The exception, he said, was Sabin.

“(Sabin) has stepped up,” Havens said, becoming a leader and mentor for the younger officers.

Havens said that over the past year Sabin has made more than 1,000 traffic stops and issued more than 450 citations, of which 110 were for seatbelt violations.

Sabin, he said, exemplifies the best of the agency.

Oracle Fire Department namedPaul Farrellas its Firefighter of the Year.

Chief Larry Southard said that Farrell has been with the department for seven years and in that time, Southard said, he has seen Farrell go from a young man to a home owner to a husband and a father.

Farrell holds 35 certifications including one for hazardous materials from the National Fire Academy. He helped establish minimum company standards and training requirements for his shift, which, Southard said, has spread to the other shifts as well. Farrell also set out and accomplished his goal of retaking his national certification as an EMT.

Farrell was just recently promoted to the rank of captain.

Mammoth Fire Chief Monty Poncemade the lone trek to the podium to accept the award for his entire department, stating that the entire department’s dedication to their work made it difficult to name just one person as Firefighter of the Year.

Casey Crosswas named Firefighter of the Year for the San Manuel Fire Department.

Chief John Sandford said that Cross had been with the department for two years, coming to them fresh out of the fire academy.

“He’s taken on the task of training the new guys,” Sandford said, “and he’s always willing to learn.”

Sandford also named him the “Nacho King” and begged Salt & Pepper Market to never run out.

Tri-City Meds Ambulance namedTyler Cassabaumas its Officer of the Year. Mike Balta, on behalf of Tri-City Meds, presented the award.

“(Cassabaum) is a great individual,” Balta said.

Cassabaum has just completed his training as a chaplain and will take over those duties for the local department.

The San Manuel Elks always uses the annual First Responders Recognition Dinner to honor one individual from the Tri-Community who has made a difference, someone who gives of themselves without thought.

This year, the San Manuel Elks has namedJohn Eckeras the 2014 Citizen of the Year.

From Boy Scouts to volunteering to help seniors, Ecker “does a lot for the community,” said Elks Treasurer Fred Creeley, emcee for the night.

(At this point, I’m afraid this writer stopped taking notes about the Citizen of the Year. I was too busy clapping and joining the rest of those at the dinner in a standing ovation for John. Just know, John, that we are very grateful for all you do in the community.)

]]>http://www.copperarea.com/pages/san-manuel-elks-honor-first-responders/feed/0San Manuel Library election results releasedhttp://www.copperarea.com/pages/san-manuel-library-election-results-released/
http://www.copperarea.com/pages/san-manuel-library-election-results-released/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 21:22:43 +0000http://www.copperarea.com/pages/?p=2528062A thank you to all San Manuel Library cardholders who voted in the 2015 Board of Trustee Election. Verne Fischer was re-elected and Pat Collins will now be joining the board.

A thank you to all San Manuel Library cardholders who voted in the 2015 Board of Trustee Election. Verne Fischer was re-elected and Pat Collins will now be joining the board.

At the February Board Meeting officers were elected. Linda Lee will remain as chairman of the board with Verne Fischer as vice-chairman, Louise Krouse as secretary and Pat Collins as treasurer. Chaille McGrew will be a member-at-large.

The board will continue overseeing the library and trying to keep it up to date. Any public output is always welcome.

Carlos Salas works to pin the competition at a wrestling meet this season.

San Manuel Miner

Five members of the San Manuel wrestling team, including Marco Salas (Sr-106), Ezra Miller (Fr-120), Francisco Medina (Sr-132), Franky Renteria (So-145), and Max Fisher (Fr-170), qualified for the 2015 State Wrestling Championships which took place last weekend at the Prescott Valley Event Center.

The Miners finished 24th out of 42 in the final team results.

Salas, who finished sixth in his weight class, was the top placer for the Miners.

]]>http://www.copperarea.com/pages/five-miner-wrestlers-compete-at-state-salas-finishes-sixth/feed/0Arizona Workforce Connection opens office at M-SM Community Schoolshttp://www.copperarea.com/pages/arizona-workforce-connection-opens-office-at-m-sm-community-schools/
http://www.copperarea.com/pages/arizona-workforce-connection-opens-office-at-m-sm-community-schools/#commentsTue, 17 Feb 2015 20:59:08 +0000http://www.copperarea.com/pages/?p=2528054San Manuel Miner The Arizona Workforce officially opened an access point location in the community schools office area at San Manuel High School.

The Arizona Workforce officially opened an access point location in the community schools office area at San Manuel High School. The access point location provides a computer for participants to use. It provides them with access to the internet for job search, applying for benefits and other activities related to employment.

The Arizona Workforce Connection is a network of employment and training programs that offer their services through local one stop career centers. A wide array of services and information is available for job seekers, businesses, and career seekers. The information is provided to help participants in making informed decisions about job choices, careers, wage rates, selecting suitable job applicants, occupational demands and other workforce and labor market information. The access point is open Monday through Thursday 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The hours are subject to change and may be extended later on. For more information contact Community Schools at 520-385-2337, extension 5110 or 5111.

At the Mammoth-San Manuel School District Board meeting held on Tuesday, Feb. 10, the board approved plans for an administration reorganization. Effective for the school year 2015-2016 Julie Dale-Scott will be principal of Mammoth-San Manuel Junior Senior High School. Melissa Joliat will be vice-principal and the athletic director. The school district will be advertising for the vacant position of principal for the elementary schools.

The district is looking into the possibility of going to a four day work week. A team is traveling to other districts that are currently using a four day school week to gather information and study the feasibility of changing the school week and how it will impact everyone.

Two donations from Donors Choose were approved by the board. One was for the program “Real Authors” valued at $155 and the other for the program “Digital Story Telling…Writing Made Fun” valued at $243. Both donations went to First Avenue Elementary and were in the form of school supplies.

]]>http://www.copperarea.com/pages/dale-scott-named-principal-joliat-vice-principal-of-san-manuel-junior-senior-high-school/feed/0Five Miner wrestlers advance to state championshipshttp://www.copperarea.com/pages/five-miner-wrestlers-advance-to-state-championships/
http://www.copperarea.com/pages/five-miner-wrestlers-advance-to-state-championships/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 20:43:54 +0000http://www.copperarea.com/pages/?p=2527932San Manuel Miner Five San Manuel wrestlers placed in the top four at last weekend’s Sectional Wrestling Tournament and advanced to the State Tournament in Prescott Valley, which will take

]]>http://www.copperarea.com/pages/five-miner-wrestlers-advance-to-state-championships/feed/0Exploring the archaeology of Redingtonhttp://www.copperarea.com/pages/exploring-the-archaeology-of-redington/
http://www.copperarea.com/pages/exploring-the-archaeology-of-redington/#commentsTue, 10 Feb 2015 20:20:56 +0000http://www.copperarea.com/pages/?p=2527923San Manuel Miner With our beautiful Arizona weather there is much to be explored in our area including many archaeology sites.

Caves with markings in Redington. Can you spot the drawings?
Nina Crowder | Miner

San Manuel Miner

With our beautiful Arizona weather there is much to be explored in our area including many archaeology sites. Between 1275 and 1400 prehistoric people occupied the San Pedro Valley. Just around the corner from San Manuel in the Redington area there are many archaeology wonders to investigate for the outdoor enthusiasts. Many volunteers monitor the archaeological sites on state and federal land. The links between the past and the present help people see why cultural sites should be protected and preserved.

Archaeology is the study of past human life and culture by the recovery and examination of remaining material evidence such as buildings, tools, pottery, fossil relics and graves. Prehistoric archaeology studies the cultures that didn’t have a written language. The remains of past cultures help us to understand the history. Some of the historical records may include diaries, census and tax records, deeds, maps and photographs. Through the combination of documents and archaeology evidence, a better understanding of past human behavior can be acquired.

Archaeology Southwest indicates there are approximately 500 sites between Winkelman and just beyond Benson. There are some large architectural features such as ballcourts, walled villages and architectural field systems. The preservation of these sites has been successful because there is little development in the region and the local landowners are stewards of the land, protecting these sites.

One of the Site Stewards in the area is Diane Tuck. Diane has a love and passion for the history of the area. On our outing she enjoyed describing and showing us a few of the sites here in Redington. Some of the goals of a Site Steward is to preserve prehistoric, historic and paleontological resources for the purposes of conservation, scientific study and interpretation; to increase public awareness of the significance and value of cultural resources and the damage done by artifact hunters; to discourage site vandalism and the sale and trade of antiquities; to support and encourage high standards of cultural resource investigation throughout the state; to promote a better understanding and cooperation among agencies, organizations and individuals concerned about the preservation of cultural resources.

Archaeological sites and artifacts on private land are the property of the landowner. Many of the sites in Redington are on private land. When the sites are on public land or in the path of proposed project like highways or developments, many state and federal laws are provided for the study and protection of the land.

The excavation or removal of antiquities on public land is a criminal offense forbidden by law. The archaeological sites are non-renewable resources once they are destroyed or excavated they are gone forever and can’t be replaced. Archaeology isn’t about artifacts or excavations or exhibits, it’s about people! Our decisions about the future are based on the lessons we learn from the people who came before us.

If out and enjoying the Redington area or other area’s between Winkelman and Benson and come across something that looks like people might of inhabited the area, please do not remove any items, take some memorable photos and enjoy a piece of the past.

If you have an interest in becoming a Site Steward the Arizona contact information is: http://azstateparks.com/volunteer/v_sitestewards.html. For addition information please visit: www.archaeologysouthwest.org or feel free to contact Archaeology Southwest via telephone at 520-882-6946.

]]>http://www.copperarea.com/pages/exploring-the-archaeology-of-redington/feed/0New managers at thrift shop and museumhttp://www.copperarea.com/pages/new-managers-at-thrift-shop-and-museum/
http://www.copperarea.com/pages/new-managers-at-thrift-shop-and-museum/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 17:53:59 +0000http://www.copperarea.com/pages/?p=2527791San Manuel Miner Kathy and Dennis Phipps along with their wonderful volunteers are now managing the San Manuel Thrift Shop and the San Manuel Historical Society Museum.

Volunteers at the San Manuel Historical Society Thrift Shop stand ready to serve. Why not stop by and check out the store? John Hernandez | Miner

San Manuel Miner

Kathy and Dennis Phipps along with their wonderful volunteers are now managing the San Manuel Thrift Shop and the San Manuel Historical Society Museum. Kathy and Dennis are long time San Manuel residents with a lot of retail experience. Kathy worked at the old Brooks Department Store and Dennis worked a bread and milk delivery route for Clovis Holcomb and then worked at Gordons until it closed down.

The all volunteer workers (no one is paid) have been busy cleaning up, painting, rearranging the store and brought it up to meet fire and health codes. “I give a lot of praise to the volunteers for the work they do,” said Kathy. “It is all for the benefit of the community.”

“We want the community feeling comfortable when they come in and our friendly volunteers make them feel welcome.”

“All proceeds from the store after paying bills go to supporting the Tri-Community.” “We donate anywhere that will benefit the community and the kids. We want to see San Manuel prosper,” added Kathy. The thrift shop has started donating money to local churches that have started food collections for the food bank and those in need.

The thrift shop is always looking for donations of any kind. They cannot accept used mattresses or used children’s car seats due to health regulations. They are always in need of volunteers even if you can only do one hour a week. Handyman skills are needed and they can use someone with a truck to pick up furniture. The San Manuel Thrift Shop is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is located in the Elks Plaza at 137 8th Avenue. Come in and browse, find a bargain and give to your community at the same time.

The San Manuel Historical Society Museum is located at the Elks Plaza. It is supported by the San Manuel Thrift Shop and donations. It is run by volunteers and they are always needed. They are looking for volunteers that know a lot about the mining history, the town’s history and someone with knowledge of Indian artifacts that can help identify some items.

The museum is dedicated to collecting and preserving the history of San Manuel as well as the lower San Pedro Valley. The Phipps say that once the museum is set up they would like to do seminars and maybe have some speakers. They will be getting some photographs soon from Carl Mathews who has knowledge about the Magma/BHP plant and was allowed to go inside the plant and take pictures after BHP shut down.

The museum is open Wednesdays and Fridays 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Special arrangements can be arranged for a tour or for research by calling 520-385-4465 or stop by the thrift store. People are welcome to come in and pick up a free DVD San Manuel a Legacy of Mining and Reclamation.

]]>http://www.copperarea.com/pages/new-managers-at-thrift-shop-and-museum/feed/0Mammoth-San Manuel School District offers infant and preschool child development screeninghttp://www.copperarea.com/pages/mammoth-san-manuel-school-district-offers-infant-and-preschool-child-development-screening/
http://www.copperarea.com/pages/mammoth-san-manuel-school-district-offers-infant-and-preschool-child-development-screening/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 17:17:42 +0000http://www.copperarea.com/pages/?p=2527781Mammoth – San Manuel School District and the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) will provide a free child development screening to any child living in the community who is under the

Mammoth – San Manuel School District and the Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP) will provide a free child development screening to any child living in the community who is under the age of five. The school district and AzEIP are very committed to early childhood developmental interventions because research has shown that from birth to age five is a very critical period of learning for children. Early identification of delays in development and early educational interventions has been shown to have long lasting impact for improving the lives of children.

An Early Intervention Specialists from AzEIP will provide the screenings on any child who is between the ages of birth and three years old. AzEIP is a statewide system of supports and services for families with children who are between birth and three years old. The school district’s Early Child Development Team will conduct the screenings for the children between the ages of three years and five years old. The Early Child Development Team is made up of preschool teachers, speech pathologists, and a school psychologist.

All children taking part in the developmental screening will be observed for the following developmental skills: hearing and vision; muscle coordination; speech and language skills; cognitive development; social skills and self-help skills. The results of the screening will be shared with the parents and suggestions and recommendations for each child screened will be offered to the parents before they leave.

The Early Child Development Screening will be on Friday, Feb. 20 at San Manuel High School Auditorium, from 9 a.m. through 2 p.m.

The Child Development screening is purely voluntary. Interested parents should call Tracey Gonzales, at Mammoth Elementary School, at 487-2242 to schedule a time for their child to be screened. Walk in appointments during the screening are also welcome. Parents who are concerned about their children who are five years of age or older should contact the Adaptive Education Office to schedule an evaluation, by calling (520) 385-2337 ext. 1105.

High Point winners from the Sea Lions are pictured left to right: Riley Stewart, second 11-12 Boys; Evan Apuron, first 11-12 Boys; Darien Apuron, first 13-14 Girls; Tabitha Kellam, second 11-12 Girls; and Ethan Kellam, second 9-10 Boys.
Vince Apuron | Miner

Over the weekend of Jan. 9-11, the Sea Lions Swim Team competed in the Prescott Plunge Swim Meet at the indoor pool at Yavapai Community College. The meet featured 12 teams from throughout the state of Arizona and the Sea Lions finished in fourth place overall with 552 points. Westside Silver Fins (Goodyear), Vitras Swim Team (Verrado), and Sunwest Swim Club (Glendale) topped the team standings. Coach Alex Gort commented that finishing ahead of teams from Sedona, Flagstaff, and Prescott was a good achievement for a team from a community our size. Six individual swimmers from the Tri-Community area received trophies for high point scoring based on the number of points they earned in each individual event. Evan Apuron (11) won the 11-12 boys High Point Trophy with a total of 101 points. Darien Apuron (13) won the 13-14 girls High Point Trophy with 94 points. Ethan Kellam (8), Riley Stewart (11), Tabitha Kellam (11) and Will Newman (15) all brought home second place High Point Trophies in their respective age groups.

The brother and sister combination of Evan and Darien Apuron won a total of 19 individual events at the meet between them. Darien won nine events and Evan won 10. No other swimmer in any age group won more than eight events. Coach Alex Gort commented on the Apurons’ performance at the meet. “Both Evan and Darien swam the toughest possible schedule in the three day meet and won the most races,” he said. “Against some great competitors, they came through time after time. Most impressive is the fact that they are both at the bottom end of their age groups.”

Other Sea Lion Swimmers also won events at the meet. Ethan Kellam swam faster than the meet record in three different events, but it was not until his swim in the 25 Freestyle (17.61 seconds) that he won a race and set a meet record that held up. Older sister Tabitha Kellam swam the race of her life in the 400 IM to achieve her first State Qualifying Time as an 11-year-old and Meet Record time of 5:39.53. Will Newman (swimming with FAST Swim Team – Oro Valley) won five races and set a new meet record time of 2:04.81 in the 200 Backstroke. Rocky Andrade finished first in the 200 Fly and Riley Stewart won the 100 Back.

The Sea Lions practice in the Oro Valley pool during the winter months and in the San Manuel Pool in the warmer months. Anyone wanting more information about the Sea Lions Swim Team can contact Alex Gort at 896-2190.